Civets in trade in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia (1997–2001) with notes on legal protection Chris R. SHEPHERD Abstract During wildlife market surveys carried out in North Sumatra, Indonesia, between 1997 and 2001, three species of civets were observed in trade, including Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus, Masked Palm Civet Paguma larvata and Small-toothed Palm Civet Arctogalidia trivirgata. No harvest quotas are allotted to the latter two species in Indonesia and therefore trade of these is consid- ered illegal. Very little is known of the extent of the trade in civets in Indonesia, or of the impact trade may have on wild populations. This report calls for increased monitoring of the wildlife trade and increased enforcement of wildlife trade regulations. Further research to be carried out on civets and their status in Indonesia is also recommended. Keywords: CITES, harvest quotas, legal protection, Viverridae, wildlife trade Abstrak Selama survei-survei pasar perdagangan satwa liar di Sumatra Utara yang dilakukan dari tahun 1997 sampai tahun 2001, ditemukan tiga jenis musang yang diperdagangkan, yaitu Musang Luwak Paradoxurus hermaphroditus, Musang Galing Paguma larvata and Musang Akar Arctogalidia trivirgata. Kuota penangkapan belum ditetapkan untuk kedua jenis terakhir. Oleh karena itu perdagangan jenis ini merupakan kegiatan illegal. Belum ada banyak informasi mengenai perdagangan jenis-jenis musang di Indonesia dan belum diketahui dampak dari perdagangan ini terhadap populasi liar. Melalui laporan/kajian ini kami mengusulkan peningkatan pemantauan terhadap perdagangan satwa liar dan peningkatan penerapan aturan-aturan yang mengatur perdagangan satwa liar. Dianjurkan pula penelitian yang lebih mendalam terhadap jenis-jenis musang dan statusnya di Indonesia. Kata kunci: CITES, musang, Indonesia, Viverridae, perdagangan satwa liar Introduction plant and animal specimens to be done under a licence. Sending or transporting wildlife from one location to another within Indone- Indonesia is home to 11 species of civets (family Viverridae sensu sia must be covered by legal documents, according to Article 42, lato), ten of which are found on the island of Sumatra and its as- Chapter X of the Regulations of the Government of the Republic sociated outlying islands (Corbet & Hill 1992). During surveys of Indonesia Number 8 (1999), whether the species is protected by carried out in wildlife markets (usually referred to locally as ‘bird law or not. Collectors and suppliers (or middlemen) must be regis- markets’ due to the predominance of caged birds on sale) in Su- tered with regional offices for the Natural Resources Conservation matra’s largest city, Medan, between 1997 and 2001, civets were Agency (BKSDA), the agency under the Directorate General of frequently observed for sale. Very little is known of the status of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA, the Indone- civets in Indonesia (Schreiber et al. 1989, Holden 2006), or of the sian Management Authority of the Convention on International impact trade has on these species. Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora [CITES]) Civets are generally regarded as pests in Indonesia, because responsible for the regulation of wildlife trade at the provincial they are seen as a threat to orchard fruits and poultry and are often level (Siswomartono 1998). killed on sight, or captured (e.g. Schneider 1905, Van Strien 1982: Quotas are set on an annual basis for all non-protected spe- 104–106, Melisch et al. 1993). Captured civets, like many small cies, including species listed in the Appendices of CITES and those species of vertebrates in Indonesia, are often taken to local bird not there listed. Only two of Indonesia’s viverrid species are listed markets for sale. Young civets are popular as novelty pets, and are in the Appendices of CITES, Banded Civet Hemigalus derbyanus more frequently observed in the markets than are adults. and Banded Linsang Prionodon linsang, both in Appendix II (see Only three species of civets are totally protected by national Table 1). The quota-setting process is conducted annually, via a legislation in Indonesia: the Binturong Arctictis binturong, Otter meeting of various stakeholders including PHKA, and the Indone- Civet Cynogale bennettii and Sulawesi Palm Civet Macrogalidia sian Institute of Sciences (LIPI, the CITES Scientific Authority), musschenbroekii. The remaining eight species are not totally pro- relevant non-government organisations and licensed wildlife trad- tected, and therefore may be traded domestically or internation- ers. The quotas are reported by PHKA to the CITES Secretariat at ally, following a harvest and export quota system. According to the beginning of each year. CITES requires science-based assess- Indonesian regulations, only 10% of the entire legal harvest quota ments, known as ‘non-detriment findings’, to be carried out prior may be used domestically, with the remainder of the harvested to the export of a CITES-listed species. These can be undertaken volume permitted to be exported (Shepherd et al. 2004, Shepherd by the authorities themselves, which sometimes rely on collabo- 2006). ration with non-governmental organisations and research institu- The Decree of the Ministry of Forestry No. 447/Kpts-11/2003 tions. However, such studies are currently not being carried out in (revised from Decree of the Ministry of Forestry No. 62/Ktps- any robust fashion prior to the quotas being set and therefore there II/1998) requires any harvest or capture and distribution of wild is no accurate baseline information from which to gauge levels of Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 38: 34–36, April 2008 34 Civet trade in North Sumatra Table 1. Status of viverrid species in Indonesia. IUCN Red Totally Legal List status Protected in CITES Annual national export Species Presence on Sumatra 2007 Indonesia Appendices harvest quota quota Arctictis binturong Yes LC Yes NA 0 0 Arctogalidia trivirgata Yes LC No NA 0 0 Cynogale bennettii Yes EN Yes NA 0 0 Hemigalus derbyanus Yes LC No II 0 0 Macrogalidia musschenbroekii No VU Yes NA 0 0 Paguma larvata Yes LC No NA 0 0 Paradoxurus hermaphroditus Yes LC No NA 200 180 Paradoxurus lignicolor* Yes (Mentawai Islands only) Not assessed No NA 0 0 Prionodon linsang Yes LC No II 0 0 Viverra tangalunga Yes LC No NA 100 90 Viverricula indica Unclear LC No NA 100 90 *Sometimes treated as a subspecies P. hermaphroditus lignicolor; IUCN Red List Categories: LC – Least Concern, VU – Vulnerable, EN – Endangered; CITES Appendices: NA – Not listed. sustainable off-take. Furthermore, the harvest and export limits Methods are not adequately monitored or enforced (Shepherd 2006). All wildlife traders in Indonesia must be registered with The three largest bird markets in Medan, Jalan Bintang, Petisah PHKA. Anyone not registered is not permitted to harvest and trade and Sembahe, were surveyed on a monthly basis over a five-year wildlife. National harvest quotas are divided by province, with a period (1997–2001), with species present and the quantities of limited amount being allowed from each designated area (Table each recorded. Information was gathered from dealers regarding 2). Wildlife cannot be harvested legally from a province that has the origins of the species and purposes for trade. Because surveys no allotted quota. If an exporter does not finish the allotted quota were carried out only once a month, it is impossible to gauge the in a calendar year, it is forfeited; and the remaining volume that rate of turnover in the markets, and the numbers recorded should was not realised cannot normally be added to the following year’s be considered a conservative estimate. Additional information quota. was compiled from published and unpublished literature, and Only three civet species, Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus from government regulations and laws. hermaphroditus, Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica (some- times referred to by its former name V. malaccensis, as in the 2007 Observations quota) and Malay Civet Viverra tangalunga have allotted quotas in Indonesia (Table 2), meaning that it is prohibited to capture or During monthly surveys in 1997–2001, three species of civets trade in any of the other species. Furthermore, the capture of those were observed (Table 3), including Common Palm Civet, Masked species that are permitted in trade outside the designated localities Palm Civet Paguma larvata and Small-toothed Palm Civet Arc- is also illegal. Table 2 gives all allotted localities where harvest of togalidia trivirgata. Assuming that none of the civets were in the civets may take place and the total numbers allowed for harvest market for more than a month (dealers claimed that turnover was and export each year (the Ministry of Forestry, Republic of Indo- rapid), a total of 270 civets was observed in the three main bird nesia: http://www.dephut.go.id). markets of Medan during this study. Common Palm Civet was the Very little is known of the trade in civets and other small car- most frequently available species, with a total of 264 individuals nivores in Indonesia. The purpose of this paper it to provide some observed over this five-year period. Fewer of the other species insight into the trade of these species in bird markets in Indonesia, were observed: only nine Masked Palm Civets and six Small- but more importantly to highlight the fact that the trade in these toothed Palm Civets. species is very often carried out in violation of wildlife trade and conservation regulations. Discussion Table 2. Annual harvest and export quotas for civets from While none of these three civets is listed as protected species in designated locations in Indonesia (2006). Indonesia, there are no harvest quotas for Masked Palm Civet or Small-toothed Palm Civet, and therefore there should be no trade. Harvest quota Annual Of the protected species, dealers stated that Binturong was some- Species Location Total export quota times available, but had no knowledge of Otter Civet or Sulawesi Malay Civet South Sumatra 100 90 Palm Civet, which last is endemic to Sulawesi.